[Rattywolf]

Hello there friendly rat people :3

Hope you are ready for a story-
I bought two new rats on January 14th and 15th from a Pet Supermarket in town. One of those rats is named Potato- she a white creamy sort of chanpange color. The other is named Radish- she's a hooded brown rat. Both girls are very sweet, friendly and outgoing- but I fear one of them is sick.
Since I brought Potato home with me she has been making a slight "Pffnt" sound or the sound of an air soft gun shot. I only thought it was a slight adjusting sneezing until it persisted. Also, she had been continually getting a reddish brown substance around her eye which I carefully dabbled away and tried to keep clean. And she has been very rarely twitching/shivering in a strange repetitive manner.
I took her to a vet that our family has been going to because he is cheap. I'm willing to pay however much money for my girls, but I gave this vet a shot to see if he knew his stuff at an affordable price. I asked a man over the phone from the vet office if they treated rats (just to make sure) and they said that they did. When the vet inspected her he said her lungs sounded clean, and everything else seemed normal, so he sent me on my way.
The next night, however, she had the reddish brown substance around her eye and I called the vet the next morning and he said I could come in.
The vet told me he thought her coughing might be bronchitis and he gave me eye drops for the reddish brown discharge. But what he gave me for the bronchitis was a syringe filled with a, I suppose, lung clearing substance which I must up in a vaporizer and have her breath in.
I did as the doctor told me and her coughing hasn't persisted as I have heard, and neither the discharge, but I have heard from others that bronchitis is something that effects the lungs also, so I fear it maybe a misdiagnosis. I'm making another appointment for a different vet office, but I would also like some answers here as well-

Thank you very much for your time and responses, those of you who do.
Please, someone answer, I just want my girl safe.

Love prayers howlsqueaks galore
~RattyWolf

 

[Forensic]

The discahrge sounds like porphyrin. Most all of a rats bodily fluids have porphy in them, and it's red. Usually a rat will clean it off themselves. If not they may a a touch of mycoplasmosis (myco) which all rat have, but most only show if they're stressed or have immune issues. Else, pneumonia or what have you.

What are you giving in the vaporizer?

 

[Rattywolf]

Honestly, I have no idea what he gave me. But it's already gone. It was clear liquid subtance. I'm sorry for the lack of knowledge on that, but he didn't even tell me.
She hasn't had the red eye since though, which is good.
Thank you so much for your fast reply!

 

[Darksong17]

The discahrge sounds like porphyrin. Most all of a rats bodily fluids have porphy in them, and it's red.

Actually, only a rat's tears have porphyrin in them because of the Harderian gland behind the eyes . This can end up groomed into fur and in the nose if the eyes are teary enough.

http://www.ratbehavior.org/porphyrin.htm

 

[Forensic]

The discahrge sounds like porphyrin. Most all of a rats bodily fluids have porphy in them, and it's red.

Actually, only a rat's tears have porphyrin in them because of the Harderian gland behind the eyes . This can end up groomed into fur and in the nose if the eyes are teary enough.

http://www.ratbehavior.org/porphyrin.htm

I thought their saliva did as well?

 

[Darksong17]

I believe that is a myth/rumor as I've heard it tossed around but haven't seen anything that would suggest it's truthful. I'm not sure how it'd really get in their saliva either considering the Harderian gland is behind the eye and lubricates the eye.

 

[Forensic]

I believe that is a myth/rumor as I've heard it tossed around but haven't seen anything that would suggest it's truthful. I'm not sure how it'd really get in their saliva either considering the Harderian gland is behind the eye and lubricates the eye.

*ponders* I blame it on the porphy gremlins, myself.

 

[Rattywolf]

Well, would you guys know anything about the twitching either?

Also, should I take her to see a vet? It's been about four days after I went to the vet and she hasn't been coughing or getting the red eye at all. Maybe just a check up?

 

[kancerr]

i would take her in for a check up in a week-2 weeks if you really want to be safe. my rat had a similiar issue and was given baytril(not sure if thats what you were given, but its a clear liquid). but if you see any changes or relapse into old behaviours(the sneezing/weird sounds) i would take her right away. sounds like shes doing good tho ;]

and just curious are the eyes/nose/mouth connected on the rat like they are in a human? if so why wouldnt it be in the saliva? (dunno much bout rat anatomy, just asking ;p )

 

[Rattywolf]

thank you kindly for your quick response!

I'm going to be taking her soon- the red eye has come back and also gotten to her nose so I'm really worried.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by the last statement- do you mean that the illnesses are connected to one another? Like, symptoms?

 

[kancerr]

no the canals. like how our ears nose and mouth are connected may be the eyes arent...dunno just asking, curious. haha nothing about the symtoms being connected, just anatomy.

good idea about getting her back to the vets if you have any doubts about your vet not taking your rats health seriously or inexperience you might wanna get another vet. but if he seems competant then go back. good luck keep us updated ;p

 

[Darksong17]

and just curious are the eyes/nose/mouth connected on the rat like they are in a human? if so why wouldnt it be in the saliva? (dunno much bout rat anatomy, just asking ;p )

This is going to sound gross but... do you get snot in your mouth? Most of the time when we have a runny nose it drains down the back of our throat right? I can't say for positive it's the same with rats but I'm inclined to believe it is.

Porphyrin is produced to lubricate the eyes. When ones eyes are runny (think of people crying) the excess tears often drain down into the nose. When our nose is runny it drains out of our nose and down the back of our throat.

And yes the ears are connected too since the eustation tubes run down into your throat to drain as well.

 

[Rattywolf]

That DEFINETLY makes sense! Very, very smart.

I'm worried about it though- she's got it coming out her eyes and her nose for a bit...should I be terribly concerned or is it something very natural? I try to limit the stress as much as I possibly can to not cause this any more.

 

[Forensic]

How much, exactly? I've got a boy (the one in my avatar, in fact) who tends to be more porphy than the others. But it's usually after he wakes up, never a lot..

 

[Almi]

I actually have a rat with the exact same problem as yours.

I had bought her from Petco as a friend for my other rat. Once I took her home, she began coughing. Really loud. And sneezing and wheezing like crazy. I didn't understand it. She didn't have any discharge save a little bit of clear fluid when she sneezed.

I thought it was probably the aspen bedding, and I tried Critter Comfort. She had no change. I tried corn cob. No change. It only seemed to stop when I put her on nothing. After a few days it went away. Now she just does little sneezes all the time and gets the porphy on her eyes. She hasn't seemed to decline in health at all, and I've had her since July.

My best guess would be that she's really sensitive to bedding. *shrug*